When Was Jesus Born, Baptized, and Buried?
A Review of LDS and Non-LDS Educated Guesses

by Monte F. Shelley

In Jesus the Christ (1915), Elder James E. Talmage said that Jesus was born on April 6th 1 BC, baptized just before he turned 30 years old, and died after living 33 years and a few days. While preparing Remembering Christ at Christmas, I noticed that not all LDS leaders and scholars agree with Elder Talmage’s dates. Some LDS scholars say Jesus was born on April 6th 1 BC while others say he was born in 5/4 BC. Elder Hyrum Smith (1923) said “There are reasons for believing that… the Nativity occurred four years before our era [4 BC].” Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1979) said, “We do not believe it is possible with the present state of our knowledge… to state with finality” the year Jesus was born.

Non-LDS scholars also differ on the year of the Nativity. Most say Jesus was born in 5/4 BC while others say he was born in 3/2 BC. In books for the general public, most scholars present their conclusions as fact with little or no discussion of the evidence and arguments. Even when some evidence and reasoning is presented, it is usually to support their conclusions. Opposing viewpoints are often ignored, misrepresented, or belittled. In academic articles, scholars seek to refute the arguments of others and defend their own. Examples of written ‘debates’ can be found in Chronos, Kairos, Christos (I and II). Other examples in the bibliography include Martin and Mosley vs. Johnson, Filmer vs. Barnes and Bernegger, Lefgren and Pratt vs. Brown, Griggs, and Hansen.

"When everybody thinks alike, nobody thinks very much." Opposing viewpoints draw our attention to evidence and possible interpretations. I found a few books that reviewed the evidence and arguments for the conclusions of non-LDS scholars. However, I could not find a similar book that referenced LDS scholars. I began reviewing the evidence and arguments of LDS scholars who give dates for the birth, baptism, and burial of Jesus. As a result, I also reviewed the writings of non-LDS scholars. I found this to be an interesting study and wrote this book to provide an accurate summary of the evidence and arguments for the differing conclusions of both LDS and non-LDS scholars.